Rewind arm assembly

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to the art of rewinding of material from a source, such as a web or sheet of predetermined width, which has been slitted to define a plurality of tapes, each of a fraction of the original width of the web, the invention providing novel means for rewinding said tapes on rolls positioned on a plurality of rewind arms, each arm being individually maintained, under constant pressure so that, notwithstanding random non-uniformity and variations of the thicknesses of the so formed tapes, constant pressure will be automatically maintained for each individual tape to precisely the degree necessary for such tape as it is being so formed into a roll, in view of its individual thicknesses during the entire rewinding operation.

United States Patent Mastriani et al.

[451 Feb. 18, 1975 REWIND ARM ASSEMBLY Inventors: Elvin A. Mastriani, Roseland; Frank A. Pozar, Succasunna, both of NJ.

Assignee: Arrow Converting Equipment, Inc.,

Fairfield, NJ.

Filed: Apr. 3, 1973 Appl. No.: 344,251

Primary ExaminerEdward J. McCarthy Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sommers & Sommers [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to the art of rewinding of material from a source, such as a web or sheet of predetermined width, which has been slitted to define a plurality of tapes, each of a fraction of the original width of the web, the invention providing novel means for rewinding said tapes on rolls positioned on a plurality of rewind arms, each arm being individually maintained, under constant pressure so that, notwithstanding random non-uniformity and variations of the thicknesses of the so formed tapes, constant pressure will be automatically maintained for each individual tape to precisely the degree necessary for such tape as it is being so formed into a roll, in view of its individual thicknesses during the entire rewinding operation.

19 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB! 8 I975 SHEEP 2 BF 4 FATENTED 1 8W5 3. 866.853

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REWIND ARM ASSEMBL BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention is directed to the rewinding of narrow tapes slitted from an original source or web of material, the invention including a web rewinding arm assembly wherein a plurality of rewind arms are freely rotatably positioned in a machine in adjacent parallel relation, for rewinding, onto rolls carried by said rewind arms, of tapes formed by slitting the initial web or sheet of material. Pursuant to the invention, the rewind arms are individually automatically tensioned, at one end, to constantly bear at their opposite, roller rewind ends, against the winding drum, for contact engagement therewith automatically to the degree required for each rewind roll. The tape materials naturally vary in thickness. Where, as heretofore, single driving means are used to drive all of the rewind arms from a common source with the same tension on each roll as it is rewound notwithstanding the non-uniform diameters of the rewind tape rolls, distortions, tearing and damage to the tapes occurred. Pursuant to the invention, the pressure of the rewind rolls is maintained automatically to precisely the degree required in the rewind operation, automatically adjusting for variations in thickness of portions of the width of the web being rewound.

The present invention obviates the above recited and other disadvantages of prior art devices by providing novel means maintaining the individual rewinding arm assemblies under tension and in contact with the circumference of the winding drum, automatically to the degree of tension required for each said roll. Stresses and strains and distortion of the web being rewound are thus obviated. The invention further avoids the risk of tearing and distorting the rewound web where used for directly driving the rewind arms, obviating these and other disadvantages of devices of the prior art by providing novel means maintaining the rewind arm assemblies under pressure contact with the circumference of the winding drum, to precisely the degree required for each roll, compensating for variations in thickness and diameter from tape to tape, automatically as required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the appended drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical elevational, partly fragmentary, view of rewind arm assemblies embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the pressure exerting end of a rewind arm and associated parts, embodying the invention, with the piston shown engaging the controlling cam plate;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational, partly fragmentary view of the rewind arm and associated parts, showing, in dotted lines, the position thereof when rotated clear of the cam plate, in order, for example, to remove or mount the rolls;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a further form of cam plate and associated parts embodying the invention;

FIG. 6 is a partly fragmentary vertical sectional view of the roll forming end of a rewind arm assembly embodying the invention and FIG. 7 is a partly fragmentary end elevational view thereof. 7

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The rewind arm assembly 10 ofthe invention comprises (FIG. l) an elongated rewinding arm 10 rotatably positioned, intermediate its ends on a shaft 12, in a rewinding machine. One end 15 (FIGS. 2, 3) of the arm 10 has formed therein individual pressure means comprising a piston 29 readily movably positioned in a cylinder 16 formed in the end 15 of the arm, so that the piston 29 may be readily manually moved in the cylin der on cutting off of the air supply, for example, where (FIG. 4) it is desired to rotate the arm 10 to its clear or inoperative position shown in dotted lines 41, clearing the cam plate 34 (FIGS. 15) on which the arm piston end 33 normally (FIGS. 1-3) bears. Engagement of the rewind arm piston with the cam plate 34 maintains that pressure on exerting end 15 of the arm, to rotate the arm and thus urge the opposite, roll forming end 14 of the arm under constant pressure against the winding drum 26, thus enabling each individual rewind roll to be formed on its rewinding arm uniformly without stress or strain on the material being so rewound, said roll forming end 14 (FIG. 1) of the rewind arm 10 is the free end thereof, having freely rotatably mounted thereon (FIGS. 5 and 6) tape rewind roller 17, which may be freely rotatably secured thereto, as by bolt or axle means 19, with anti-friction bearing means, such as 22 and 23, positioned in recessed portions 21 of said axle 19; other-suitable means may be used to so mount a roller 17 on the free end 14 of arm 11. A core 24 may (FIG. 6) be mounted on the roller 17 so that the tape 25 will be rewound thereon pursuant to the invention. The arms 10, 11 may be offset with axially recessed portions 18 (FIGS. 5, 6) to receive the roller 17.

In the operation of the device of the invention, piston 29 may (FIG. 3) be urged downwardly, as by compressed air lines 38 (FIGS. 1-4) which may be suitably secured, as by interfitting compressed air couplings 50, 5l to the upper end of air cylinder 16 formed in the pressure exerting end of the web rewind arm 10. The opposite end, 38' (FIGS. 3,4) of the air line 38 may be connected with a compressed air header or manifold formed unitarily with or apart from cam 34 with which the roller end 33 of the air piston 29 engages (FIG. 3).

Keying means may be provided for assuring the aligned axial movement of the piston 29 in cylinder 16, for example (FIG. 3) by forming a recess-keyway 30 on an edge of the piston 29 and mounting a key 31 on the end 15 of arm 10 to extend into said keyway for so assuring aligned reciprocation of the piston 29 in cylinder 16. Piston-sealing means 32 such as an O ring 32 (FIG. 3) may be provided on the piston for wiping, sealing movement along the inner wall of the cylinder 16.

A roller 33 may be mounted on the free end of the piston 29 by pin or other suitable means (FIGS. 14) for free rotation of the roller 33.

In the normal operation of the device, the cam plate 34 may (FIG. 3) serve as a header having couplings or fixtures 52 (FIG. 3) for connection of the complementary air line terminals 53 thereto. The header 34 may be supplied by or connected with any suitable source of compressed air such as, in the normal operation of the invention, will urge the roller end 33 of the piston 29 into engagement with the cam plate 34, thus rotating arm 10 to urge the roll end 17 thereof into engagement with the winding drum 26 (FIGS. 1,2) which, in turn, may be driven in any conventional manner. By this arrangement, the hazards of jamming, tearing and distortion of the rewound web are further avoided. The invention is especially adapted for rewinding tapes narrower in width than the original web or sheet from which they are formed by slitting the web by knife or other slitting means, as is well known in the art, and passed around the winding drum 26 and rewound therefrom onto the rolls 17.

The initial position of the roll 17 in pressure contact with winding drum 26 is shown in dotted lines 39 in FIG. 1. The rewind arms rotate on the axis 13 (FIG. 4) away from the winding drum as the roll 24 is formed, pursuant to the invention. When the rewinding operation has built up the desired number of convolutions of the rewinding rolls 25, the supply of compressed air may be discontinued, whereupon the piston 29 may be readily manually moved from its operative (FIG. 3) position, to its unloading (FIG. 4) position, 41, after dropping the cam plate 34 as shown in dotted lines 40.

As above noted, the cam pressure plate 34 may (FIGS. 1,2) be formed unitarily or otherwise as part of the compressed air header 35 and may be rotatably mounted in the machine, as by pivot-bolt means 36 normally holding the pressure plate bracket in the (FIG. 4) full-line position. Said bolt means may be loosened to rotate the cam plate 34 to its clear or dropped (dotted lines 40, FIG. 4) position, permitting rotation of the rewind arm 10 when it is desired to load or unload the arm 10.

The cam plate 34 may (FIG. 2) be provided with depending lip portions 57 at the ends thereof for pivotally mounting the brackets to facilitate moving them when desired as above noted. FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the cam plate 34a formed with an arc graduant calculated to the contour desired to control and vary the pressure exerted by the piston in the operation of the device as above described.

The invention enables high speed winding of narrow tapes, for example, but without limitation, conventionally of relatively narrow and sometimes varying thickness, for the making of tape rolls of textile of other materials, with automatic compensation for variations and differences thicknesses of tapes cut from even adjacent portions of webs. Each tape roll is thus formed, pursuant to this invention, with its individual air actuated piston 29 maintaining the tape rewinding roll 25 under the pressure it requires and automatically compensating for such variations in thickness in the rewinding operation. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the invention is shown, by way of example and without limitation, as applied in the form of rows of rewinding arm assemblies engaging a winding drum at opposite sides thereof.

In practice a series of rewind arm assemblies (including the air pressure means above discussed) may, pursuant to the invention, be mounted, as at 12 on shaft 13 (FIG. 4) in closely spaced parallel relation at one side of the machine and a corresponding series may (FIGS. 1, 2) be mounted on the other side of the machine. By slitting, or otherwise, alternate tapes or widths of the web may (FIGS. 1, 2) be rewound, pursuant to the invention, onto the rolls 17 of arms 10 which are rotatably disposed on the shafts 13 of the machine in spaced relation parallel to the axis 27 of drum 26.

Said arms may be arranged in alternate, staggered, interfitting or other arrangements as desired.

Where tapes are formed as a group with a single source of pressure (as in prior art devices) for all of the tapes, some tapes will be formed with too much pressure while others are formed with too little pressure, resulting in non-uniform over and under-wound tapes. Efforts to apply the same pressure for all the tapes at a point somewhere between the greatest pressure needs and the lower pressure need will, for. the same reason, result in distortion of the tapes. The present invention obviates such disadvantages of prior art practices by the provision of individual pressure means for each roll of tape, automatically conforming to the precise degree of pressure required by that particular tape and automatically adjusting for variations in pressure requirements as the tape rewinds to roll form.

In the normal operation of the invention the roller end of the piston 29 has cam engagement with the upper surface of the cam plate to maintain the web rewinding arm free end (on which roller 17 is positioned) contacting the winding roll under the constant pressure.

The air manifold is suitably connected to a compressed air source in the machine or separate herefrom, with suitable controls for turning the compressed air on and off as desired. Thus the web rewind arms-10 may be readily positioned on the machine shafts 13 (FIG. 1) and the air lines 38 readily connected to the air manifold in any plural arrangement desired. To facilitate ready connect-disconnect of the plurality of air lines 38 desired to serve the rewind arms 15, the couplings 52, 53 (FIG. 3) may be made in male-female or other form for efficient connect-disconnect action, and the couplings connected to the manifold for facility of coupling and uncoupling of the number of individual air lines and arms as may be desired and for readily adding to and subtracting therefrom as may be required.

We claim:

1. In a rewinding arm assembly for use in a machine for rewinding a drum onto a rewinding roll of movably mounted rewind arm,

a. a piston movably mounted at one end of said arm and having a free end extending therefrom,

b. a cam plate mounted relative to the piston for cam engagement of the free end of the piston therewith, and

c. means for moving the piston to urge the free end thereof into engagement with the cam plate, to thereby urge the other end of the rewind arm toward the winding drum.

2. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston comprising pressure means.

3. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston comprising air pressure means.

4. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston reciprocating the piston in said one end of said arm.

5. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means for keying the piston for aligned axial movement in said one end of said arm.

6. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means on the arm and piston for aligned axial movement of the piston at the said end of said arm.

7. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means on the free end of the piston for such engagement with the cam plate.

8. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, roller means on the free end of the piston such engagement with the cam plate.

9. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means for movably mounting the cam plate so that the arm may be moved clear thereof when desired.

10. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means for mounting the cam plate adjustably in relation to the piston.

11. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, a plurality of said rewind arms, each having a. a piston movably mounted on one end of each said arm and having a free end extending therefrom to engage the cam plate; and

b. means for moving said piston so that the free end thereof will engage the cam plate and thereby urge the other end of the rewind arm onto the winding drum.

12. In a web rewinding assembly as set forth in claim 1, a plurality of said rewind arms at one location in said machine and a plurality of said rewind arms at a different location in said machine, each such plurality of rewind arms comprising:

a. a piston movably mounted on one end said arm and having a free end extending therefrom; to engage the cam plate, and

b. means for moving the piston so that the free end thereof will engage the cam plate and thereby urge the other end of the rewind arm onto the winding drum.

13. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said plate being formed with a cam surface to provide the desired degree of pressure on engagement of the rewind arm piston therewith.

14. In a web rewind arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said cam plate being formed with a cam surface to provide a cam gradiant to provide the desired degree of pressure on engagement of the rewind arm piston therewith.

15. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said free end of said arm being offset, and a rewind roller freely rotatably mounted in said offset portion of the arm.

16. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim I, and means for movably securing the cam plate in relation to said piston.

17. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston comprising air pressure means, flexibly connected thereto.

18. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston comprising pressure means, and complementary means for connecting said pressure means with the piston.

19. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said pressure means comprising an air pressure header and flexible and complementary means for connecting said pressure means with the piston.

l i l 

1. In a rewinding arm assembly for use in a machine for rewinding a drum onto a rewinding roll of movably mounted rewind arm, a. a piston movably mounted at one end of said arm and having a free end extending therefrom, b. a cam plate mounted relative to the piston for cam engagement of the free end of the piston therewith, and c. means for moving the piston to urge the free end thereof into engagement with the cam plate, to thereby urge the other end of the rewind arm toward the winding drum.
 2. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston comprising pressure means.
 3. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston comprising air pressure means.
 4. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston reciprocating the piston in said one end of said arm.
 5. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means for keying the piston for aligned axial movement in said one end of said arm.
 6. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means on the arm and piston for aligned axial movement of the piston at the said end of said arm.
 7. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means on the free end of the piston for such engagement with the cam plate.
 8. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, roller means on the free end of the piston such engagement with the cam plate.
 9. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means for movably mounting the cam plate so that the arm may be moved clear thereof when desired.
 10. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, means for mounting the cam plate adjustably in relation to the piston.
 11. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, a plurality of said rewind arms, each having a. a piston movably mounted on one end of each said arm and having a free end extending therefrom to engage the cam plate; and b. means for moving said piston so that the free end thereof will engage the cam plate and thereby urge the other end of the rewind arm onto the winding drum.
 12. In a web rewinding assembly as set forth in claim 1, a plurality of said rewind arms at one location in said machine and a plurality of said rewind arms at a different location in said machine, each such plurality of rewind arms comprising: a. a piston movably mounted on one end said arm and having a free end extending therefrom; to engage the cam plate, and b. means for moving the piston so that the free end thereof will engage the cam plate and thereby urge the other end of the rewind arm onto the winding drum.
 13. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said plate being formed with a cam surface to provide the desired degree of pressure on engagement of the rewind arm piston therewith.
 14. In a web rewind arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said cam plate being formed with a cam surface to provide a cam gradiant to provide the desired degree of pressure on engagement of the rewind arm piston therewith.
 15. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said free end of said arm being offset, and a rewind roller freely rotatably mounted in said offset portion of the arm.
 16. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, and means for movably securing the cam plate in relation to said piston.
 17. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston comprising air pressure means, flexibly connected thereto.
 18. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said means for so moving the piston comprising pressure means, and complementary means for connecting said pressure means with the piston.
 19. In a web rewinding arm assembly as set forth in claim 1, said pressure means comprising an air pressure header and flexible and complementary means for connecting said pressure means with the piston. 